Oil seal



Patented 24,;1940

' Louis H. Stein,lChicago, lll., assignor to Aetna .n

Ball Bearing Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Applicationpecember 5, 1938, Serial No. 243,905

' My .invention relates tofoilwseals lfor rotary shafts, and especially-althoughnt necessarily-fto oil seals'of the Aannular:selficontainedtype. slipped over the shaft wththegvcasing ofthe seal pressedinto a seat in the-housing' andfgenerally' n used adjacent an anti-frictionbe'ari'ng 'tokeep' the lubricant therefor from passing out of the of the sealing element lor Washer in such a manner as to facilitate theentrance of the shaft end from either end of the oil seal unit. y

Still another and general object is an improved and more economical `construction of oil: seal.

My inventionis also concerned with anim-- proved method land apparatus for forming 'and' assembling an oil seal.

. The foregoing together with further objects, features, and advantages of my invention are set forth in the following description of a specific ernfg"` bodiment thereof and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

` Fig. 1 is an elevation of a typical installation of my oil seal, the vhousing and a portion of the bearing being broken into radial section;

Fig. 2 is a radial section of the oil seal of Fig. 1

on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the oil seal taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an exploded section through the individual pieces which are assembled to form the oil seal;

Fig. 5 illustrates somewhat diagrammatically the apparatus and method employed in the firs shell spinning operation of assembly; and

.'Fig. 6` isl an elevation, partly in section, Yof the `,apparatus for effecting the second and nal shell l spinningstep in assembly.

. `cal installation of myoilseal. A shaft S passingv vthrough the tubularbore of yahousing H isjournaled therein in partbyA a ball bearing unit The oil seal III of 1 my` invention annularly-em-j f; braces the shaft and has a `press, fit injthebore of the housing outwardly of the ball-"bearing: .v The oil seal serves to prevent the lubricant in thel In Fig. 1 I have shown a ,conventionalizedtypi-V `housing where the shaft protrudes. understood, however, that my oil seal may be used housing for the bearing from passing out of the It will be for holding back liquid or gaseous fluids other than lubricant, and it is not necessarily used in connection with a bearing.

My completed oil seal is best shown in the section of Fig. 2, but for a better understanding of its construction, I shall rst describe it in terms of its assembly. n

Referring to Fig. 4, the oil seal unit is made up from five pieces, namely, a shell I2, a. packing or sealing element I3, a clamping washer I4, a spring member I5, and a closure or guard IB. In Fig. 4 these parts are shown as they are preformed prior to assembly.

The shell I2 is cup-shaped, having a cylindrical flange I1 and a web I8, which is conically flanged inwardly at I9 about the margins of its central opening 20 which is a little larger than the diameter of the shaft.

Y The sealing element or packing I3 is originally a a't ring cut from sheet stock of synthetic rubber, or optionally rawhide, Where it is to be used "withordinary lubricants, although other suitable iieXiblef+and` preferably resiliently. flexiblema- .teriallmay be used in connection with other fluids.

"I'lieoverall 'diameter of the element I3 is approximatelythesame as the inside diameter of the flange f I 'l of the shell, and the central opening I 2I is of a diameter somewhat less thanthat of the shaft.

' The spring member I5 is cut from very thin sheet spring steel with arcuately spaced radial slits 22 (see Fig. 2) extending inwardly from its central opening 23, which central opening may be of a diameter originally very slightly greater than that of the shaft. e

The closure or front wall I6, which also serves as a guard, is dished into much the form of a pie tin,v except that the bottom has an opening 24 of considerably greater diameter than that of the shaft. The closure thus presents an outer -flat ring' portion 25, anA inner flat ring portion 2B,

axially offset' therefrom, and an interconnecting 1 `portion 2T.. The outer. diameter of the closure 'I6,glike`that of the'pieces; I3, III and I5, is such as will-fit the inside` vdiameter of the cylindrical iiange I1 of the shell.

, As thejrst step in assemblyof the several pieces'oi'11ig-4 4' into Ithe sealingy unit, the sealing 'element-' '.IS is inserted infthe cup-shaped shell l againstfthefbackwa11 ls thereorajnd the ciamping* washer I4 placed against the seal. on. the opposite side thereof. `Thezthree pieces thusas vvl i sembled are placed in a lathe or similar machine diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 5. An annular die member 30 carried by the lathe chuck is conformed to fit inside the cylindrical flange- 5 of the shell and to bear against the clamping Washer, While a tail piece 3 I, which may be mounted to rotate also, bears against the back wall I8 of the shell.

Axial thrust is applied between the die member 10 30 and tail 3| to compress the interposed margin of the sealing element I3. While in this relationship an internal bead 32 is formed in the cylindrical flange II of the shell by a roller 33 mounted in the bifurcated end of a shank 34, which may be supported on the tool holder of the lathe. The

contour of the internal bead 32 is defined by a reduced margin 35 in the periphery of the die member 30 adjoining its end. The clamping washer I4 on the one side and the shoulder of the reduced margin 35 on the other side act as dies to insure `that the metal flow under pressure of the roller 33 will give the internal bead square-cornered shoulders which tend to hold the parts in more perfect alignment. y

g5 The operation illustrated in Fig. 5 mounts the sealing element I3 securely and quite permanently in the shell and quite apart from ,any subsequent operations. The conically disposed ange I9 of the shell causes the sealing element I3 to assume a corresponding truste-conical position,

but even in this position the diameter of the central opening 2l, although somewhat enlarged, is still smaller than that of the shaft.

As the next step in assembly, the pre-assem- 35 bly of Fig. 5 is removed from the lathe and seated with its open side up in a shallow cylindrical depression 36 in the table 31 of the rotary press illustrated in Eig. 6. Then the spring member I5 is set within the flange II of the shell with its 40' margins resting on the shoulder of the internal bead 32 and the end closure I9 is set thereon with its dished flange 28 uppermost. 'I'his leaves a short length of the cylindrical ange I'I protruding above the flange 25 of the closure.

The protruding edge of the flange I 'I is crimped inwardly upon the marginal flange 25 ofthe closure I6 by a plurality of crimping rollers 39 carried by a rotary vertical shaft39 depending from the press of Fig. 6 and with the axes of the rollers arranged radially thereof. A plunger 49 pressed by a spring II is mounted in the` bottom end of the shaft 99 to hold the superposed closure I6 and spring element I5 against the bead during the inbeading of the upper end of the flange I'I'.

In the completed seal, as shown in Fig. 2, the end closure I6 and the spring member I5 are permanently locked in the shell between the adjacent shoulder of the bead 32 and the inbeading 42 of the shell. This mounting oi the closure and spring member is separate from and quite independent of the mounting of the sealing element I3.

After the seal is assembled as a unit, but before it is put upon a shaft, the sealing element and the spring member assume the relative position shown in Fig. 6. The inner margin of the spring member is pressed against the inner margin of the sealing element, and because the latter is held in la frusto-conical position by the conically inner marginal flange I9 of the shell, the inner margin of the spring element is caused to flex upwardly, which is possible by virtue of the slits 22. In this position the spring member supplements the reseal in Fig. 6 that before it is placed upon a shaft,

the smallest diameter of the central opening in 5 the sealing element is the circle 2 Ia formed by the annular junction of the inner edge face of the central opening of the sealing member and its back face which abuts the flange I9 of the shell.

It is further pointed. out that from this circle 2Ia l0 both the inner edge face 2'I.b and the rearward face 2l c extend in angular relation to the axis of the seal. In other words, the seal presents to the shaft an annular chamfer from both ends of the seal. This feature is of great advantage in 15 facilitating the application of the seal to the shaft, whether the shaft end is inserted at the convexv end or at the concave end of the seal.

In an installation such as illustrated in Fig. 1, the end of the shaft must be applied from the 20 closure or convex end of the seal. In that case it is preferable, although not essential, that the end of theshaft be rounded or chamfered, as illustrated, to facilitate passing the end of the shaft through the circle 2 Ia, which is of deflnite- 25 ly smaller diameter than the shaft. But whether or not the end of the shaft be chamfered or rounded, the angular or chamfer-like conformation of the inner edge 2lb of the sealing element greatly facilitates the insertion of the end of the 30 shaft from the convex end of the seal.

After the shaft is inserted, the seal is slid along the shaft into the bore of the housing H and the periphery of the shell is of such a diameter that it makes a tight nt with the bore when pressed 35 thereinto. The seal is thus held in the position shown in Fig. l.

With the shaft inserted in the seal, the sealing element and the spring element change their positions somewhat over that which they occupy in 40 the completed but unmounted seal, which posi- Y tion is illustrated in Fig. 6. From a comparison of Fig. 2 with Fig. 6, it will be seen that the enlarging of the circle 2Ia to accommodate the diameter of the shaft, results in a greater axial 45 displacement of the central opening of the 'sealingelement, and this in turncurves the sealing element away from contact with the flange I9 of the shell, especially adjacent the central opening 20 thereof. The ange I9 still serves as a clo- 50 sure 'fo'r the end of the seal and as a guardA for the sealing element I3, but it does not embrace the adjacent face of the -sealing element so closely but that the sealing element may still be pressed closer as the material of the sealing element 55 wears down at the region of the circle 2Ia.

After a short period of operation, the sharp edge at the circle 2 Ia, will be flattened out by wear toa narrow attened surface parallel with the shaft, but it willcontinue to be only a relatively so narrow surface, thus reducing friction and at? tendant heat which would tend to deteriorate the material of the seal and cause excessive wear, as well as additional resistance to rotation of the shaft. 65

Further comparing the position of the parts as between Fig. 2 and Fig. 6, it will be seen that the fingers defined by the slits 22 in the spring member I5 are flexed axially still further when the shaft is inserted. The spring fingers bear against 7o the salient annular edge formed by the edge face 2 Ib of the sealing element and the adjacent side of the sealing element. The pressure exerted on the sealing element by the spring fingers is in a direction which affords both an inward radial 75 sor component and an axial component. Thel radial; radial section, being in crescentZ-Qcusp relation ad# Q2 component presses the sealing elementagalnst the shaft to accomplishthe primarypurpose of a e seal, while the axial component resists anytendof mounting the spring member at an axially spaced distance from the sealing element as compared with the more usual practice of mounting the spring member parallel with and adjacent the sealing element. If the spring member were mounted between the clamping washer I4 and the sealing element I3, it would lie along and parallel with the adjacent face of the sealing element throughout its radial length. In that case the pressure of the spring member upon the sealing element adjacent the central opening therein, would be less effective because it would be resisted throughout its radial length by its contact with the sealing element. By my mounting of the spring member at an axially spaced distance away from the mounting of the sealing element, all of the pressure of the spring member is concentrated upon the sealing element at the margin of its centralopening and, therefore, the

spring pressure is considerably more effective in `l6 also extends close enough to the shaft to serve as a guard to prevent injury or outside contact with the spring member.l v

The generous curve, by which the rim 25 of the.V closure I6 is turned into its more or less cylindrical or frusto-conical portion 21, presents a rounded annular fulcrum for the flexing of the 40 spring member or disc I5. This precludes danger of breaking the sheet spring steel stock which would be present if it were bent about a sharp corner. If, instead of being mounted a spaced ment or disc, the spring disc were mounted between the sealing disc and its washer Il, the spring disc might be broken or permanently set by being pressed, by the compressed sealing disc, against the sharp corner of the washer.

My seal still preserves the Aadvantage that in the event it is used inan application Where it is to hold back iluid under pressure, the fluid pressure will tend to increase rather than break the sealing pressure.

While I have described andv illustrated this specific embodiment of my invention, I contemplate that substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of my invention.

00 I claim: i

1. A shaft seal of the type disclosed comprisin a shell, a back wall for the shell, a front wall for the shell, a sealing disc mounted in the shell adjacent the inner face of one wall, aspring disc 55 mounted in the shell adjacent the inner face of the other wall with a space between the discs at their mountings, and axial openings in the walls and discs for passage of a shaft with the margin of the opening in the sealing disc flexedly dis- 0 placed in the same axial direction from the 75 ing disc into contact with the shaft, thdiscs, in

joining their central openings".V

2. A shaft'seal of the type 'disclosedcomprisingxf' I a shell, a back wall for the shell, a lfront wall forA the shell, a sealing'disc 'mounted-in the shell adjacent the inner face of enejwall,` a spring disc mounted in the shell .adjacentv the inner face of the other wall with a space between the discsv at their mountings, and axial openingsin the walls and discs for passage of a shaft withftlie .marginy of the opening in the sealing disc'.axially dis-,yf `placed from the mounting thereof and in sealing engagement with the shaft, the spring disc ad,`

`iacent the opening bearing nontangentially against the sealing disc and only at the margin of radial components, the central portions of the discs being fixed in the same axial directions.

3. A shaft seal comprising, a shell, a sealing disc mounted near its periphery in the shell, a

spring disc mounted near its periphery in the shell but at an axially spaced distance from the mounting, axial h oles in the discs for passage of vthe shaft, the sealing disc at themarginof its opening having annular sealing contact with the shaftand the shaft holding the sealing disc vflexed, in radial section, toward the spring disc,`

the springdisc contacting the sealing disc ,onlyV adjacent the latters opening to urge it against the shaft,the central portions of the discs being flexed in the same axial direction.

4. A shaftseal comprising, a shell, a sealingV disc mounted near its vperiphery in the shell, a spring disc mounted near its periphery in the shell, an internal bead in the shell spacing the discs at their mountings4 in the shell, axial holes in the discs for passage of the shaft, the sealing discv at the margin of its opening having annular sealing contact with the shaft and the shaft holding the sealing disc iiexed, in radial section, to-

5. A shaft seal comprising, a'cylindrical shell,

a back wall for the shell, a vfront Wall forthe shell, a washer mounted within the shell intermediate the walls, a flexible sealing disc clamped adjacent its periphery within the shell against the back wall and by and between the back wall and the washer, a spring disc mounted adjacent its pe riphery intermediate Vthe washer and the front wall, axial openings in the walls and discs for passage of a shaft, the opening in the sealing disc being of normally smaller diameter than the shaft whereby the shaftexpands the opening and axially displaces it by flexure of its body, the

vspring disc being fingered from itsv centraLopening and centrally-flexed into axial displacement in the same axial direction by contact with the sealing disc, the spring disc pressing against the sealing disc` only adjacent the openings of the discs. l f

6. A shaft seal comprising, a cylindrical shell, a back wall for the shell, a front wall for the shell, a washer mounted within the shell intermediate the Walls, a flexible sealing disc clampedadjacent its periphery within the shell against the back wall and by and between the back Wall and the washer, a normally substantially flat spring disc mounted adjacentrits periphery intermediate the washer and the front wall and spaced from the sealing disc at the mountings of the discs, axial Vopenings in the walls and discs for passage of a shaft, the opening in the sealingdisc being of normally smaller diameter than the shaft whereby the shaft expands the opening and axially displaces it by iiexure of its body, the spring disc being iingered from its central opening vand centrally flexed into axial displacement in the same axial direction by contact with the sealing disc, the spring disc pressing against the sealing disc only adjacent the openings ci* the discs.

7. A shaft seal comprising,l a cylindrical shell, a back wall for the shell, a flexible sealing disc clamped acLacent its periphery Within the shell against the back wall and by and between the back wall and the washer, a spring disc mounted adjacent its periphery within the shell but on the opposite side of the washer and thereby spaced from the sealing disc, axial openings in the walls and discs for passage of a shaft, the opening in the sealing disc being of normally smaller diameter than the shaft whereby the shaft expands the opening and axially displaces it by ilexure of its body, the spring disc being iingered from its central opening and centrally exed into axial displacement in the same axial direction as the flexure of the sealing vdisc by contact with the sealing disc, the spring disc pressing against the sealing disc only adjacent the openings of the discs and in oblique relation, to the annular corner formed by the inner face and the central opening of the sealing disc.

8. An oil seal comprising, a shell formed of sheet metal stock cup-shaped to provide a cylindricalportion and an integral back wall, a sealing disc within the shell and against the back wall, a washer between which and the back wall the sealing disc is clamped adiacent its periphery, a closure forming a front Wall for the shell, a spring disc within the shell and inwardly of the front closure, and the cylindrical portionof the shell being circumferentially grooved to present an internal bead between the washer and spring discfor clamping the spring disc adjacent its periphery and spacing it from the washer, the back wall,.closure and discs having central openings for passage of a shaft, and the central opening in the sealing disc being normally smaller than the shaft whereby it is centrally inlexed by the shaft and is urged against the shaft by the spring disc, the central portions of the discs being flexed in the same axial directions.

9. An oil seal comprising, a cup-shaped shell formed of sheet metal to provide a cylindrical portion and a back wall, a sealing disc of resillently flexible material within the disc and against the back wall, a washer lying against the front face of the disc adjacent its periphery, an

internally extending bead in the cylindrical porthe closure and spring disc against the bead, and

central openings through the back wall, the closure and the discs for the passage of a shaft, the central portions of the discs being forwardly ilexed.

- LOUIS H. S'I'EIN. 

